Star Festival
by TellThemNaegi
Summary: Sayaka's time in the spotlight came to an end. Years later, the former idol finds a new happiness, living modestly with a loving family in her rural hometown. But what happens when this quiet daily life is disrupted by terrifying visions of a different future? A future where she becomes the first victim of the killing game. (Part four of the Spotlight series)


Multi-colored lights brighten the stage. Her prized voice carries over the crowd's cheers, drowning out her thoughts. Her body moves on reflex, synchronized to the beat of the music.

She sacrificed countless hours attaining this level of professionalism. But she wasn't perfect. Perfection meant you stopped. In the idol industry, there wasn't a ceiling above or a ground below. There was only water. Stopping was the same as drowning.

Her feet tirelessly kicked in the water. She overcame the pain in her lungs, all for the chance to gasp for air on the surface. She never looked back to those who drowned along the way. She didn't have to. She only needed to see the crowd in front of her, and her friends at her side.

Despite the effort, the restrictions, the strain…she couldn't give up being an idol.

She was addicted to this life, to the fame, the thrill of performing on stage and most of all, the smiles she put on her adoring fans. The feeling that she could inspire others and live on in their hearts was intoxicating.

Eventually, the music faces, the lights dim, the dancing stops, the roar of the crowd persists, for now. Those too would stop one day.

One day she wouldn't have the strength to keep swimming against the current.

One day, this turbulent life would burn out.

When that time came…would anyone save her?

* * *

*Drip*

Her vision flickers open to the darkness of the washroom she'd tried to lock herself in. The pain from the knife plunged into her abdomen spikes.

With sharp, heavy intakes of breath, she reflects, lacking the freedom to do much else. She tried to murder Kuwata…in order to escape. A simple plan. Lure the athlete into the room and attack. Sayaka was stronger than she appeared, thanks to the arduous daily exercises that were necessary to maintain her physique. Kuwata ought to have been an easy kill with his guard down…but at the last second, he'd grabbed the golden sword and broke her wrist. She'd fled into the bathroom door but…

"Ha…ha…" She didn't want to think about him.

Damn it all…

Why had Makoto kept that blasted paperweight?! (That was her fault)

Why hadn't she picked a weaker target? (That was her fault)

Why…why did she have to die now? (That was her fault)

Everything she worked for…all the effort she put into being an idol…it all meant nothing now. She would die…and Makoto would take the blame.

"Makoto…" The name rolls off the tongue, natural and sweet…just like him.

He'd always been so nice, honest and trusting.

It would be the death of him.

With her back to the wall, her bloodied fingers slide across its surface, writing down the name of her killer.

Sayaka's hand falls limp against the floor, half-lidded eyes lose their luster.

Mai…

Her heartbeat slows. She's not frightened by the unknown. It was hard without the strength to care.

Mai…no

She wanted the pain to stop…and to sleep. It'd be a long one, surely.

Maizono…

What's that noise? Can't they take a hint?

"MAIZONO-SAN!" A harsh shake of her shoulders drags her consciousness back into the open.

Really? She was hallucinating _him_ at the end.

Makoto kneeled before her, his eyes wracked with fear and concern, pink too, from the tears falling down his cheeks. She looked down to see his fingers stained with blood. She looks over his body, seeing no signs of wounds.

"I'll go get help!" He doesn't ask what happened. He shifts into action and keeps his word. That's…just…like him.

Sayaka's parched lips move slowly as she dares to hope. "A-Are…you real?" Before she knows it, she'd joined him, crying herself.

His grip on her shoulder tightens. "I'll call the others. Just promise me, don't go to sleep. Don't close your eyes until I get back!"

Sayaka doesn't respond, stunned by the fact that he was actually there. There was so much she wanted to say.

"Promise me!" He yells in an authoritative voice most would be surprised he had.

Not her. Sayaka remembered the boy who was stronger than anyone else she knew. He would keep his promise.

"I…promise." She just had to keep hers.

Makoto bolts without another word. The bathroom door left open as light poured in. It strained her eyes.

She didn't know how much time had passed, seconds or minutes didn't seem to make a difference. Even if the hours went by, she wouldn't blink until he returned.

Loud footsteps and swears caught her attention. She inches her head to the door's opening.

"Fuck, you were telling truth?!" Makoto came back with Kyoko, Mondo and Sakura. Shock and outrage were shared between the latter two.

"Makoto get the sewing kit from my room, now. Sakura, with me." Kyoko commanded. The shorter boy fled as fast as his legs could take him.

Sakura unwraps the bandages circling her arms as she and Kyoko flank the idol. "I'm going to have you lie down now." The martial artist gently moves Sayaka from the wall, laying the bluenette on her back. Sayaka winces and gasps when Sakura applies pressure to the wound area while avoiding the knife entirely. Sakura follows up by ripping apart her shirt to expose the wound.

Mondo promptly faces the other direction. "I'll beat the shit out of the bastard responsible for this."

Sayaka chuckles weakly, the gesture entirely self-deprecating. "You…don't…hit girls."

Kyoko arched one brow. Ever the inquirer, she notices the inscription on the wall. The lavender-haired girl doesn't ask what the letters mean but Sayaka has no doubt the detective has made a mental note of it.

Makoto returns soon after, panting as he held the sewing kit out to Kyoko. His gaze was trained on her the whole way. "We can save her, right?"

The others don't have an immediate response.

"We'll need to remove the knife." Kyoko advised.

Mondo interjects, uneasy with that suggestion. "Ya serious? Screw up and she's a goner." Makoto's breath hitches loudly. Mondo quiets when he sees the terror creeping on the shorter boy's face.

"We don't have any other options. We've no access to paramedics and we likely won't be getting help from outside anytime soon. Our only other choice is Monokuma and he has no reason to assist, quite the opposite."

"We can save her, right!?" Makoto repeats himself, only his words come out as a desperate plea.

"It is all-or-nothing." Sakura remarks, bitterly.

…

"See…I…I didn't even wink." The idol says out of blue. To the others, it sounds like delirious babble. Makoto understood, however.

"Not yet, don't close your eyes!" She hears Makoto say. Give me a break

"…I've about hit my limit." Her sight fades first. The luckster's pleas soon become inaudible. "Wa…up." "Wake…p."

Such a persistent guy…

"Wake up..." A clear voice accompanies light shoves. Sayaka moans lightly as her eyes flicker open. Her skin bathes in the warm sunlight. Sayaka stirs on the soft bedsheets – a welcome contrast to the cold bathroom wall. Her blurred vision makes out washed, hazel eyes and a boyish face "Makoto?" She whispers.

"Dad left already. It's 7."

"_Dad_?" Sayaka rubs her eyes and squints.

The image clears up. Hair? Wavy, not spikey. Not brown either. Cute? Yes, albeit differently compared to the person she imagined. This was a natural cuteness present in every child. An impulsive hand reaches for his face, her fingers brushing against his soft, pale skin as she cups his cheek. "Who are you?"

The boy bristles but doesn't fight against the touch. "Does your head still hurt?"

"My…head?" A flurry of mental images circulates in her mind.

Small fingers brush the strands of hair away, to feel her forehead. "You'll worry the crap out of dad at this rate…and he's got it bad already."

A compulsion to admonish overwhelms the dizzying spell. "Watch your language, Yuki." She blinks. The name slips out so naturally, so _right_. "…I was unpacking yesterday and…" A stack of cardboard boxes fell on top of her.

"Not yesterday." Yuki shakes his head. "Two days ago. You were up yesterday."

She didn't remember that…but the haziness clouding her thoughts had mostly cleared up.

"You're so high-maintenance, mom."

At that, Sayaka breaks into a crooked grin.

The nine-year old, soon ten, understands her intent, but is too late to back away. Her other arm wraps around his slim waist. He yelps when she flips him over, onto the bed.

"S-Stop. You're squashing me." He squirms against her tight hug.

"And why _didn't you_ leave with your dad?" She ruffles his tresses, hardly making it messier than it already was. His hair was a darker shade than her own, teetering on the edge between black and blue.

"It's Parent's Day at school, or did you forget _that_ too?" His struggling continues.

Sayaka pauses. Yuki uses the opportunity to slip out from under her and roll off the bed. She hears a small thud and groan.

The bluenette cocks her head.

Short fingers grip the edge of the bed for leverage, Yuki's peeks out, staring at her with distrustful eyes.

Sayaka stretches and yawns. "Let's get you off to school." Sayaka flashes a coy smile. "Want to take a bath with me?"

His ardent rejection is obvious when he darts to the door. "I'm going ahead. Stop being weird in the meantime." The door closes behind him.

Sayaka's smile dips. She slips out of bed and rushes into the washroom. The contents of her stomach ascend her body and is expelled into the sink.

Sayaka looks up to the mirror, taking in her sickly appearance. The nausea intensified as soon as she entered. Her head snaps to the shower wall.

Nothing.

"…What did I expect to find?"

* * *

"You remember to pack your swimming trunks?" Sayaka calls out to the boy walking several paces ahead.

Yuki slows for her to catch up. His hands stretch the straps of his backpack. "Like I'd forget. It's too hot to skip out on the pool."

It begged the question why he wore added layers then…

The school was close by. That was one of the perks she and Makoto considered when moving to this small town. Or in Sayaka's case, coming back to her hometown. Makoto had been so enamored with their first visit that he insisted.

The mother-son pair trek through an incline road, holding hands. She inclines her head to the right, taking in the ocean view, a scenery every bit as blue as her hair color. Though she teased Makoto of his childlike adoration of the sight, secretly, she was met with similar wonder whenever she gazed at the sea.

Sayaka sneaks a peek at her son's face.

"Wouldn't it have been nice to wear matching outfits?" She strikes a conversation

Yuki looks up to her with skepticism. "I don't know if it'd be worse that we matched or…that I'd be wearing pink."

He refers to the pink cardigan Sayaka wore over her long, white sun dress. For the occasion, she'd also chosen a pair white, low heels. Her purse hung off her shoulder by a strap, the light-pink color mirroring that of the elastic tying her hair. Sayaka's signature blue locks were as long as ever. Her bangs and low ponytail hung on her front side.

Comparatively, Yuki's appearance was no less clean. His hair wasn't the complete mess it had been earlier this morning and had been thoroughly straightened out. Save for the inherited strand of hair that shook like a leaf in the wind – It stuck out no matter how much he tried to comb it down.

"What makes you think I wouldn't copy _your_ colors?" Sayaka asks.

Yuki wore a mixed colored shirt, mostly unseen underneath his zipped-up sweater. All complimented by blue jeans and white sneakers. Two features stood out: First, the white hoodie was his favorite article of clothing; the brand name "Crazy Diamonds" written on the back. Second, were Yuki's signature wireless headphones circling his neck. He never left the house without them.

Yuki scratches his cheek. "It wouldn't be any fun _for you_ otherwise."

Sayaka giggles. It was a little lonely knowing her two favorite boys had gotten wise to her antics. They learned at different speeds however… "But I wouldn't _just_ be teasing. I've been told many times that I look fashionable in pink…and you take after me more than your father." Looks-wise.

"Everyone will laugh at me." He said.

The pains of appealing to the crowd at your own expense. "I know the feeling."

…

Sayaka had kept her eyes on the stoplight as they approach the level crossing.

She grips Yuki's hand tightly; the boy stops in place shortly after. He gives her a confused look.

Sayaka shakes her head.

Seconds later, the railroad crossing gates fall in place, blocking them from continuing on the intersection.

The freight-train blares unpleasantly in its passing. A full 2 minutes after, the arms to move out of the way. Sayaka loosens her grip, and they continue walking,

Yuki finally breaks the silence. "We could have made it if we ran. If we're late, it's your fault."

Nevertheless, she responds "Taking separate baths was your choice and it set us back. You've got to take responsibility, like your grandfather always says."

Yuki plays with his hair, twirling the ahoge. His eyes twinkle and with a serious expression he says "Grampa is right . I should take responsibility…by turning around and going back home."

Sayaka sighs humorously. Here we go… "Cold feet on a hot day?"

"It's not cold feet. I was thinking. Doesn't it suck taking me to school, supervising the class with the other moms, _then_ coming back a few hours later to get me?"

"I don't mind one bit." Sayaka singsongs.

"You should. Maybe you're sick."

"Worried about me?" She meets his eyes

He nods. "Yup. Now I think we should both stay home, while I look after you like a good, responsible boy."

"Good children don't say that about themselves..." A taste for arguments…but not the responsibility to use them appropriately. I wonder where he picked that up from. "Don't underestimate your mom; It'll take more than a fever to keep me from being there for you." She'd gone through much worse in the past

"You win."

An expected concession, yet it still bothers her.

The ease at which he gives up.

* * *

Sayaka stands at the back of the small classroom. Doodles and stars of achievement are plastered on the bright colored walls.

She inhaled various scented perfumes from the other parents besides her. All moms. Makoto originally wanted to be here. She talked him out of it. She regrets, amusing herself by picturing his nervousness at being the only dad in attendance. Some of these women were cheerful and supporting, even recording their children with their phones. Others were intimidating, focused more on the teacher than the kids.

Many stole curious glances at her, but she paid that no mind.

All the children were so behaved. Now were they like this all the time, or because they were under parental supervision? Sayaka tries to recall her own childhood, thinking of how she'd dealt with Parent's day as a…child.

Her memories reveal nothing. 'Naturally'. She thinks after her brain switches on too late. Dad was always too busy. She doesn't remember anything. There was nothing to remember.

"Takabaya-kun, please stand." The teacher calls for a dark-haired, serious-looking boy to stand in the front, facing the rest of the class. He introduces himself as the class representative and, at the teacher's instruction, recites a problem-solving question in a loud, respectable voice.

She, along with the other parents, clap when he finishes. Sayaka presumes the most enthusiastic woman there was his mother.

She must be proud.

Meanwhile…Sayaka sees Yuki slouching on the table next to the window. Only the back of his head was visible. Minutes later, the parents are given permission to offer advice. She strolls up to her son's desk, noticing that he'd stopped writing. "Yuki, are you doing your best?"

"You mean if I understand?" Yuki doesn't take his eyes off the math problem. His left-hand plays with his antenna. His right, the one holding his pencil, freezes in the air, the pencil tip hangs in the air hanging over his paper. The problem was a simple mystery, with the goal of pinpointing the thief. She checks his deductive reasoning, and his simple mistake.

"It's fine if you don't know the answer. You still get marks for trying."

He offers a side-glance. "Then it doesn't matter if I fail? Nice, I feel a lot better about my grades."

"I wouldn't say that. People who try their hardest succeed where others fail." Sayaka leans close to his ear and whispers. "But only if they're smart enough to not waste the effort." And Yuki was smart. His mouth could attest to that.

"Like right now. You've got this part wrong." She points to his mistake.

"I thought so." He frowns.

"Why didn't you ask me or the teacher for help? If your foundations are wrong, the rest of the problem ends up wrong, y'know?"

He grumbles.

Sayaka smiles slyly. "Like I said, effort. If you were trying your hardest, you'd use all the resources around you."

"You're here _now_, aren't you?"

"I'm the one who had to come over."

"I knew you would." His wide hazel eyes stare straight into her cerulean.

Sayaka purses her lips, her brows creased.

"Never mind." His gaze returns to his paper. "Are you going to tell me the answer?" He whispers.

Sayaka places a finger at her lips and says. "Nope~" It was then that Sayaka caught the lingering gaze of the boy sitting behind her son. She smiles and winks. He turns away, blushing.

"You made his day, mom." Yuki drowsily rests his face on his palm.

"S-Shut up, Yuki." The embarrassed boy shakes and rattles her son's shoulders.

"Are you friends?" Sayaka asks him, suppressing her amusement.

He timidly nods.

"That's wonderful. Please take care of my son."

Yuki vents. "That's enough. Go back."

"Already? I can still give you advice." She pouts.

"Don't need it. I already know the answer."

* * *

Sayaka sings a low tune underneath the harsh sunlight. She wears an apron while sweeping away the dust in front of the bakery.

Her bakery. The house they'd moved into was around the size of the one she lived in as a teenager. Big enough that they had more than enough room for her to run a store in the front. "I finished a little later than usual, but what can you do?" She speaks aloud, looking up at the sky.

"Naegi-san, you're here." Sayaka's attention is drawn to the aged but affectionate voice. She recognizes her neighbor instantly. An elderly woman that Sayaka estimated was in her late forties or early fifties; not so old that all traces of youth had been lost. Gray hair had barely set in and her posture was still upright.

"Good afternoon, Rinko-san." The bluenette bows.

"I was starting to think you'd taken the day off."

"Sorry. It was class visitation day at my son's school. Come in" Sayaka opens the door for the older woman to pass through. The soft, soothing music in the interior escapes, gracing Rinko's ears as she steps inside. Sayaka flips the sign on the door to "Open" and follows.

The slow turning fans make for a nice change of pace, from the heat outside.

"It always smells so nice in here." Rinko praised. More than usual, as some of her goods were in the middle of baking in the oven.

"What can I get you today?" Sayaka made her way to the back of the counter. Glass casings covered an assortment of confections in the front; from tea scones to cakes. Sadly, they weren't all fresh.

"I'll have the usual shortcake."

The ex-idol's smile falls ever so slightly. "Could you wait a bit? I'm not finished making fresh ones just yet."

"You don't have anything in stock?" Rinko palms her cheek gently.

"I do…but I wouldn't serve you anything but the best. Please wait a little while longer. It'll be cool in a few minutes." Sayaka presses. The elderly woman came once every two days at least. For her best customer, she couldn't slack off.

A soft giggle escapes the elder's lips. "You might be sweeter than the cakes, Naegi-san. Alright."

"You're embarrassing me." Sayaka melts.

Rinko takes her seat on a wooden chair and waits. Sayaka comes over in no more than 3 minutes, holding a tray with snacks and a cup of tea. "Thank you." Rinko appreciates the gesture as Sayaka sets the items on the table. She observes the red color beverage and asks. "What brand is this?"

"Rose Hip Tea. It's a personal favorite of mine." Sayaka boasts, holding the tray to her chest.

"It's delicious." The neighbor says after a quick sip. "Class visitation…was it? Is Yuki-chan doing well?"

Sayaka laughs. "I don't know. He keeps to himself and even said he'd walk home alone today."

"He's getting at that age. Boys always go through the phase where they try to do everything themselves. My son was the same. My grandson is too now, I hear."

"I don't think I've met either of them."

"My grandson is coming to visit this weekend. Children grow up so fast and they're out the door before you know it. The next thing you know, you'd do anything to see their faces every now and then." The woman laughs gently, then turns to Sayaka with playful reprimand "I hope you don't keep your parents worried like my son does."

"I call when he's available." She answers simply.

"I see." With age comes experience and wisdom. Supporting that saying, Rinko dropped that line of conversation. "How are you getting used to our town? It's not too small, I hope."

Sayaka shakes her head. "Not at all. We haven't finished unpacking everything, but I'm very happy here."

"Not as happy as we are to have you. Such a young, beautiful family is a sight for sore eyes. I would visit more often if the doctors didn't keep badgering me about my calorie intake!"

"Should I make something sugar-free next time?"

Rinko crinkled her nose "Don't you start. Those pretentious men can bite me."

Sayaka laughs with her. "You must have lived here for some time I take it."

"All my life." Rinko said. "My son sees a problem with that - narrowing my view of the world to just this island, but I've never needed more, you know?"

"My opinion is mixed, from my experiences, but I understand." In her case, she'd left and returned, satisfied.

"On that note, I came here for a request, Naegi-san. Have you heard of our New Years festival on the shrine hill?"

Sayaka nods, still playing the guise of a newcomer. It's not that she wanted to hide it per se, but if it was never going to come up, there's no reason to put herself out there.

"Many of us in Town hall want you to be the shrine maiden next year."

"That's..." Sayaka paused, ruminating. It was a tradition in this countryside, not as strict as it once had been decades ago, but still a prestigious position. "I'm honored but, that's a lot of responsibility."

"I was the one who pushed you for the role and all the old fogies agreed. That's a rare thing. You won't refuse, will you?" Rinko interlocked her fingers, sending Sayaka an even stare that reminded her all too well of business proposals.

"Why me?"

"I think you're perfect for the job I take too seriously. I used to be the shrine maiden and was a beauty myself in my youth." She adds.

"...You're not that old yet, Rinko-san."

"I'm speaking of some twenty or thirty years ago. It was so much fun." Rinko laughed. "The biggest reward had to be the joy I brought to everyone just by dancing."

Sayaka listened intently. She understood that feeling perfectly. "It's fulfilling, being able to make a difference. Even if that's just brightening someone's day."

Rinko nods in agreement and smiles. "My fondest memories of that time was with a child. A lovely little girl - much younger than even your son - that showed up to the festival every year. Alone."

"That's...dangerous." Crime was lower here than in the city. In small areas, people were more connected and wrongdoings wouldn't easily go unnoticed. Still, that didn't mean bad things didn't happen. Sayaka remembers how arduous it was to let Yuki out of her sights when he was a toddler. The bluenette then acknowledges that she still feels that way.

"I thought the same, having children myself. Initially I hadn't paid much attention. I needed to be ready for the sacred dance." The ritual performed by the priestess in the later stages of the evening. Sayaka has vague, but pleasant memories. Or rather, she has pleasant emotions at the thought of it. "After the dance was over, I found that same girl at the end of the festival. That's when I realized she hadn't been lost, she had come without her parents and had done so the previous year."

Sayaka made an inquisitive expression. "What did you do?"

"She was so curious about the maiden dress and the dance, that I made smaller ones her size in the following year. Children couldn't be part of the ceremony, but you know, it's important to let them dream, even if it's just pretend." Rinko explained. "Little did I know. I thought to teach her a bit, but she was a wonderful dancer all on her own. Eventually I started keeping a lookout for that girl first thing every coming year. It continued for a several years, and I'd begun to hope she'd take the mantle of shrine maiden one day. I absolutely wanted to see it. Sadly, she disappeared."

"Huh?" Sayaka jerked at the abrupt ending. "Don't tell me-"

"Rumor has it she suddenly moved away with her father. I was disappointed." Rinko elaborated, shutting down the less wholesome conclusions Sayaka had in mind. "That girl. In the end, I was the one left entranced."

...

"Wherever she is. I'm sure she's happy."

"I think so too."

* * *

Sayaka holds up a white, rectangular box. "They're donuts, for your grandson. On the house."

"Thank you." The other woman says.

"It's payment for making you wait all this time." Sayaka gently pushes the box into the older woman's hands.

Rinko smiles compassionately. "The outfitting won't be for some time, but please come over to the hill whenever you feel like."

"I will. I appreciate you coming."

"It was my pleasure. Don't push yourself too hard, dear."

The bell chimes again when the doors close.

Once alone, Sayaka's thoughts drift to her father.

* * *

"Thanks, new lady!" A trio of rambunctious boys – her last customers of the day – ran out of the door, carrying baseballs, grime and dirt on their bodies. Sayaka leans over the counter to find exactly what she expected. The once clean floor, now messy.

"Those brats. Oh well, I was gonna tidy up any way." She sighs, pressing against her forehead. At least it happened at closing. Sayaka opens the cash register and takes it into the back. In exchange, she comes out with a mop, a bucket and a 'wet' sign. She dips and rinses the mop and begins to clean the dirty floor. A few minutes into her task, she hears the door open.

"Sorry, we're closing now-…" Sayaka's words are caught in her mouth when she looks up to apologize to the late customer.

"Are you? That's a pity, and I came all this way~ A voice, dizzyingly familiar has Sayaka dropping the mop. A clang echoed in the shop.

Short brown hair, a celebrity's looks and poise. All coupled with a mysterious smile that gave little of her thoughts away. "Satomi…" Sayaka breathes out, calling the name of a woman who was once as close as a sister.

"Ohayo, Sayaka-chan. It's been too long~" Satomi waves.

"How…" The ex-idol trails off, dazed at the sudden appearance of her friend.

"You never call, you never write. What's a girl to do but to hunt you down?" Satomi giggles. Sayaka's non-plussed.

"Girl, please. We're millennials. There's no limit to what you can just by knowing a thing or two about computers…or know a techie that does."

"I'm not about to get stabbed in a hit-and-run, am I?"

"_Tempting_, but no." Satomi spreads her arms out, beckoning for a hug. Sayaka hesitates, _doubts_. But if being with Makoto for who knows how long, has taught the baker anything, it's to hope for the best.

Sayaka falls into the embrace, hugging Satomi tightly. Distant memories, good and bad, bubble and spill over.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you missed me." Satomi strokes her blue hair.

"Of course, I did. I think about you and the girls all the time."

"All the time? That's not healthy…considering how we split up."

Sayaka frowns. "How are-"

They're interrupted by the door's chime. "I'm home." Yuki walks in, headphones on and kicking the tip of his shoes against the mat. The boy raises and then tilts his head at the sight. "Um…hello. Are you in the middle of something?"

"And who might this be?" Satomi retreats from the hug, focused entirely on Yuki. There was a glint in her eye that Sayaka would never miss. She showed it to every new encounter that provoked some modicum of interest.

"This is my son, Yuki." She introduces the boy. "Yuki. Meet mom's old friend. Satomi Aoba. Take off your headphones and greet her."

He removes the gear, resting it on his neck as he looks up to the smirking woman. "Good afternoon …!?" He freezes, then gapes. His eyes widen sharply, shifting wildly between the women

"Yuki?" Sayaka notes his reddened cheeks and the swirl of his eyes.

"I'm…I-I'm going to play video-games in my room. Bye!" The boy practically runs off to the back.

…

"Did Yuki-chan inherit dear ol' dad's shyness?" Satomi breaks the silence

"I've never seen him react that way before." Sayaka covers her mouth.

"It's obvious why, fufu~" Satomi smugly flips her hair. "He took one look at my beauty and couldn't help himself. Ah, to be young again. Make sure to knock before going in his room~"

"Satomi." Her tone turns _dangerously_ low.

"Just kidding." The older girl sticks out her tongue. "But there's _my_ Sayaka – Territorial as always."

"I'm not trying to be rude…but why did you come here today? To reminisce about old times?"

"Pfft. When have we ever had time in our schedule for something so pointless? ...Ah, maybe that doesn't apply to you anymore."

Sayaka suppress the urge to flinch at Satomi's inflection and the impending comment. "_The_ Sayaka Maizono, once the nation's top idol…now serving treats in her hometown. A quaint story if I've ever heard one. Is this the future you had in mind when you quit on us?"

"I…" The tension was easier to cut than any pastry she'd made today. It was funny, in a way. Sayaka's time in the spotlight wasn't easily forgotten. She'd thought about her idol group for a very long time, yet any retort she could muster would seem cruel at worst, and unintelligible at best.

With two slender fingers, Satomi grabs and lifts Sayaka's chin, her eyes boring into the bluenette's. Satomi had always been taller than her. It made the older girl even more imposing. While the majority would call Sayaka the most talented and beloved member of the group, the five of them had always accepted Satomi as the real leader. Always the big sister figure, dominant and exceptionally manipulative. None of us could ever pull a fast one on her. You could say she built the group and kept it together.

"You, me, Ayaka and the others had the same dream. Ever since childhood, we worked together, competed against each other, all to become stars. We made it and we fought tooth and nail to keep it. Then you turned your back and we lost everything. You know what we call that?"

"Betrayal…"

"Good girl." Satomi mocked.

"I couldn't give Makoto up." Sayaka said, determined. The fated time came where she had to make a choice between pursuing her career or her love. She didn't regret her decision, but that didn't make it any less painful.

"So, you gave _us_ up instead. The friends who stuck by you through thick and thin, suddenly meant _nothing_ to you?" Satomi's voice was steady, but her grip tightened. The tip of her nails hurt, admittedly.

Sayaka could easily end this conversation if she wanted. There wasn't much to say and little to justify. But this wasn't something she could run away from. Like her father always says. She needs to be responsible for her actions. "It's exactly that. I was only thinking about myself, my happiness." Not entirely true. She'd thought about Makoto's feelings, but she wouldn't make him an excuse. "You have every right to hate me."

Satomi clicked her tongue. "Forget hate. What I don't understand is what you did _after_. Even if you ditched us, there _must _have been other opportunities. You could have gone solo or took up acting or singing. All that fame, looks, talent and you ended up _here_. When I found your location, I just had to know: _Are you satisfied_?"

A question like that…well, she'd certainly have an easier time answering it than the question her son struggled with this morning. "How could I not be? Every morning, I'm lucky enough wake up to two special boys that I love more than anything in the world. To me, that's worth more than a million fans." It was a confident, unabashed declaration. To look the person, she'd betrayed in the face, then proudly boast of the rewards she reaped in the act.

It would have been fully deserved if Satomi had slapped Sayaka in the face. Sayaka half-expected it…which is why she was surprised when Satomi's lips turned upwards. A happy sigh soon following. "Okay. If you're happy, then there's no problem."

Sayaka blinks as the girl unhands her. "Satomi…"

"What's with that look? Did you think I'm petty enough to hold a grudge for 10 years?"

"…Yes. It's the least you deserve."

"Fair enough. We split, couldn't make without you. If you didn't know already."

"…How could you think I wouldn't?"

Satomi twirled her pointed finger, sporting an annoyed expression. "Do I have the recite the 'You never call, you never write' line again? What was _with_ you cutting us off, anyway?"

Sayaka placed a hand to her chest. "I thought you'd all hate my guts."

"We did. It even took me about 4 years to get over it. I won't speak for Ayaka." That's what I figured.

Satomi finds a chair to sit by, relaxing into a thoughtful pose. "But then I thought of how stupid it was to keep hating you, when our problems came from _you not being there_. I ended up missing you. When I realized that…I decided to call quits and move on." Satomi reached into her purse and tossed a business card at Sayaka.

The ex-idol's eyebrows shot up in surprise. She recognized the label as a prestigious talent agency.

"You're…a producer?!"

"I prefer the term 'talent manager'. It's what I was best at from the beginning otherwise I was the least popular in the group."

"…the reason you came here. It couldn't have been to-"

"Give you another shot at celebrity status? Of course. You're still young and like I said, you've got talent. If I'd seen you were unhappy, I'd have taken you back with me, no ifs ands or buts. After all, big sister has always known what's best."

Sayaka smiles widely. She's embarrassed at the fact that her eyes begin to water. "Thank you…but no thanks. I'm fine right where I am. Besides, you caught me at a bad time…"

"Um…should I make dinner?" A blue-haired boy peeked from the back-door's opening.

Sayaka places hands on her hips. "Don't you go anywhere near the stove, young man."

"Yes, ma'am."

Sayaka huffs as he scurries off. What a worrywart. "Want to join us for dinner, Satomi?"

"Sure. By the way, where's Makoto-chan?"

"He's still at work."

"And that is?"

"He's a headmaster."

* * *

The doorbell distracts Sayaka from cooking dinner. She leaves Satomi in the kitchen to tend to their newest guest at the door. A woman nearly Sayaka's height and age, in a pearl-grey tracksuit. "Komaru?" Sayaka blinks at the (welcomed) surprise.

"Evening, sis!" The younger woman shines in a way only Naegis do in Sayaka's eyes.

The tight hugs come first; the questions next. "What are you doing all the way here?" She spots a yellow taxi driving off.

"Yuki called me over. He wanted me to help you guys unload."

"All the other way over for that?" She mutters apologetics. "I'm sorry about this."

Komaru, of course, doesn't mind a bit. "You need your rest, just leave it to us." Sayaka doesn't keep her sister-in-law in the draft a second longer. She guides Komaru through the corridor. "I'm surprised you're still not finished moving in."

She _had_ been feeling under the weather… "Yuki! Your aunt's here. Come say hello." No more than a minutes later, the boy climbs down the stairs. He beams upon noticing his guest.

"Yo, Komaru."

"How's my favorite nephew?" It didn't need to be said he was her only nephew. For now.

The two high-fives as a greeting. "Want to come play games with me?"

"What happened to unpacking? There's still a ton in the storage room." Sayaka frowned.

"She's a guest, mom." He faux-chides her.

"He's still a wise-guy." Komaru scratches her cheeks.

At this point, there's not much Sayaka can do, except reflect on where she went wrong. "Every day's an argument. My brain never gets dull at least."

"I'm not _that_ bad." He mounts a defense. "I can never win against Komaru."

"Yup. I, the riddle queen, hasn't lost her touch yet!" Komaru said, proudly. No matter how old she got, the core remained the same.

On that note, "I have a friend over, Komaru. You've met before."

* * *

_The clock ticked, minutes till 12, the allotted time Kuwata was meant to meet her_

_She'd wait for the knock, let him in…then do the deed._

_'I'm sorry, Kuwata. I have to do this.'_

_It was just another performance._

_An innocent person is going to die. By tomorrow morning, everyone will know it, and Naegi will be the culprit. _

_Her breathing stilled. He'll help me escape. He promised he'd do anything to get me out, that he'd stay by my side no matter what. If it's Naegi, he'll definitely take the fall for me._

_The knife in her hand rattled._

*knock*

The knife hand still shakes, the edge jittering over the potatoes she peeled. Sayaka's breaths labored as she came under another dizzy spell. 'C-Calm down, Sayaka. They're _just_ potatoes.'

She's plagued by queasiness again and throws up in the sink. She pulls on the tap and flushes the vomit down.

"Are you okay?" The voice pulled her back to reality. A hand tugs her leg and stops the quivering. Her nausea too, is relieved. Suddenly revitalized, Sayaka looks down to see Yuki giving her an empty stare. She offers no resistance when he steals the knife away.

She comes back to her senses when he deftly shears through the vegetable. "Where'd you learn how to use a knife?"

"By watching." He replies. "Why don't you keep Komaru company?"

She washes her mouth with water, then places a hand on her hip. "I don't feel comfortable leaving you in the kitchen."

"Help me out then."

Sayaka smiles and finds herself another, smaller and safer tool for the boy to use. There's a whole bag of potatoes to get through.

* * *

The tap water runs down the kitchen sink and onto the dirty dishes.

"It's really been toooooo long, Komaru-chan." Satomi bear-hugs the younger Naegi sibling, both occupying the kitchen with her. "I could still eat you up."

Sayaka angles her head backwards, while her hands move to clean the dishes after dinner. "Don't get any ideas, Satomi. Komaru's engaged."

"So, it'd be fine if I wasn't!?" Komaru gapes.

"It's your fault for growing so well in all the right places."

"That's victim blaming!"

Sayaka snickers. "I'm joking. I'd never let anyone touch you that way. You are my precious little sister." Her eyes moved to her old bandmate. "**_Mine_**."

Satomi sports an unimpressed look. "You're the one who said she's engaged. And you're _married_, remember?"

"I was joking." She returns to the dishes, scrubbing the knife with a sponge.

"I wonder." Komaru mutters under her breath, weary of the carnivorous women.

"I guess I'll have to be satisfied with that little taste-test all those years ago."

The water stops at Satomi's declaration. "What was that?"

"Don't remember? That time you asked me to take her home." Satomi places an arm around Komaru's waist, to the girl's discomfort. "Komaru-chan and I stopped by a few places first. Then played a nice, healthy game of strip poker. It was a sweep in my favor."

Komaru blushes heavily.

Sayaka turns around fully to meet the girls, with a dark look. The knife in hand stood out ominously. "If you touched a hair on her head…I'll make you regret it." The bluenette took a step forward.

Satomi laughs and quickly separates from Komaru. "Sayaka you kidder… put the knife down."

"I'm not joking."

"There's plenty of me to go around. Just…let's keep things civil, ladies." Komaru gulped stepping in between the two.

Satomi narrows her eyes. "Always so selfish. Why couldn't I play around with Komaru-chan when you were fooling around with the brother?"

Sayaka freezes, trying to suppress the blood quickly rushing to her face.

"What?" Komaru asks

"Didn't you know? That night I took you home, Sayaka and Makoto were –"

Sayaka coughs. "Girls, might I remind you that my son is upstairs? These walls aren't _that_ thick, I don't want him overhearing this."

Satomi folds her arms and scoffs, looking over to Komaru "Look at this coward. She's hiding behind a 9-year-old boy!"

Komaru gives Sayaka a tired yet knowing stare. "Big bro did spend the weekend with her…"

"Just end me." Sayaka covers her eyes.

"We're only playing around. I'll go and help Yuki now like I promised. Where is he?"

"In his room, I'd think." He said to call him when they were ready to work. "I'll grab him."

* * *

*Knock*

"Yuki, open up." There's no reply.

Sayaka's furrows her eyebrows. She pushes the door open…to find a sty of a room. The only sounds coming from the television, while the owner was nowhere to be found. She frowns as she's prepared to undertake yet another of the pains of motherhood; cleaning their child's messes … or at least picking up what he's left all over the floor. She wades through the swamp of books, the content varying from manga to classical literature. His father always brought him so many. Enough that she's certain Yuki couldn't have finished most of them.

Amongst the scattered items were paintings. Ones he made. She'd seen them before, save one. Sayaka presumed it was his most recent. Because it was a drawing of their new home. It was impressively detailed, for his age. One she wouldn't bat an eye to hanging on a wall…if it had been complete. The building was missing a roof.

She lays the painting, along with a stack the books on his desk. Sayaka's much more careful with Yuki's model guns. It looked dangerous to her, but Makoto okay'd it without her permission…and before she knew it, her son started up a collection.

Sayaka picks up the remote on the bed and points at the TV screen. Tilting her head curiously, she watches the demo unfold. It was two digital figures in martial artist's clothing beating on one another.

Sayaka couldn't understand the appeal. It wasn't generation shock…but that she'd never had time for such games as a child.

If anything came of this…it'd be that Sayaka was reminded of an old friend

_ 'I wonder how Sakura is doing…' _She clicks down on the remote and shuts off the TV and places the remote back on his bed. "That'll do for now." Her words aren't consistent with her thought. While Satomi mentioned it, Sayaka had always been curious about her son's secrets…and he _was_ secretive.

"I should respect his privacy…" After one look.

She searches the area around and under his bed. She'd made fun of Makoto for having dirty mags like the stereotypes suggested, back in their younger days, but she'd never seen any. Yuki was probably too young for such things (at times she forgets), but that didn't mean he didn't have-

"Huh?" A wave of nostalgia hits the bluenette when she finds a CD of her group's greatest hits underneath the boy's pillow. A look inside showed the case was empty.

Sayaka had so many questions… "Where is he?" She'd need to find the culprit first. She takes one last look at the room. "It's stuffy in here." She moves to open the window.

A melody rings in Sayaka's ears. She peers down to the backyard. Yuki faces away from the house, his headphones on.

His singing entrances her, not due to his soft voice, instead because "That's my song…" One she'd written and performed with her friends a long time ago.

She listens intently, leaning out the window to hear as best she could. In this quiet night, his voice carried far, right until he stopped.

Yuki removes his headphones and hangs them from his neck. Suddenly, he jerks. His head lifts back and upwards to the window.

'Spotted.' Sayaka waves, a smile to contrast his mortified expression.

"Stay put."

…

She slides the door to the backyard open. As instructed, he's waiting, arms folded behind his back and looking non-too comfortable with the inevitable confrontation. "Just because there's no law against spying in your own house doesn't mean you should."

No better way to show off your embarrassment, than unprovoked retaliation and speaking in longer sentences than usual.

"I didn't know you could sing." She cuts to the heart of the matter.

He averts his eyes. "I'm not very good."

"For an acapella, I think it was." She compliments. "I've got an ear for music. As I'm sure you know." She holds out the CD case with the image of her idol group plastered on the front. "Maybe next time, you won't make me clean your room."

Yuki groans.

"Why didn't you ever say anything?" Yuki understands even without elaboration. Talking with him was just so…easy.

"You never talked about being pop star…so I never brought it up."

"Those are bygone days and I didn't want to cling to them. I didn't think it was important either – Idols are quickly forgotten."

Yuki snorts "Says you. I had to listen to everyone saying how pretty you were and how it felt to be a celebrity's kid." He grits his teeth.

Sayaka would be lying if the confession didn't brighten her mood. So that's why she received looks at the conference. "And how do you deal with those comments?" She continues.

He shrugs. "Those are _your_ achievements, not mine."

She senses his dissatisfaction.

"Why'd you come out here? You could have sung in the house."

"I didn't want you to hear it." He says bluntly. His hazel eyes stare up at her. "Why'd you give up being an idol?"

His intense gaze prevented her from returning with her own question; he probably heard it from somewhere. "I found something else I wanted to do. That's all."

"What's that?" He pressed.

"Let's just say, it was more important to me and leave it at that."

He slides into a deep frown. "Since we're talking about this…" His hand rubs the back of his neck. "I've been meaning to ask if…"

He trails off

The blue-haired boy inhales, and with hopeful eyes asks. "Say…would you mind if I tried getting into music?"

She's hit by nostalgia, before putting the familiarity of the question aside. "What brought this on?" Shock's etched on her features.

"It's been on my mind for a long time…" She imagined many things were, but…the entertainment industry required commitment.

"I'm not sure…"

"You said I could sing."

"That's not enough." Sayaka replied earnestly.

"Okay…it was a little ridiculous. I'll go inside." She predicted that's what he'd normally say. He argued but he gave in easily. This time, he said nothing, standing his ground.

"I love music. I thought it would be a good fit for me."

"It's hard." She took a sharp tone befitting a professional. "You'll have almost no time for yourself. You'll have to be on your best behavior everywhere you go. You'll have to compete with others constantly. You'll have to do whatever it takes to succeed. I don't mean that lightly. You have to do whatever it takes. Anything to stay on top. That might also mean sacrificing other people."

The conditions she's set makes him visibly uncomfortable. "I-I don't think I can do that, but that can't be the only way to succeed."

"Being nice won't get you anywhere in show business." She knew better than anyone else.

In the face of her vindictiveness, the boy could only reply. "…Did you _hate_ being an idol?"

Sayaka pauses. Had she sounded that bitter?

She couldn't deny the rough parts of the job, but…in the end, she'd loved being a pop star. "For a long time, it meant the world to me…but it also came with many hardships." Hardships she'd never want him to face.

Sayaka thought of what her father would say in this situation. It was easy.

She might as well have made the decision all by herself, which she had.

She thought about her past self, even younger than Yuki. She'd jumped into the entertainment industry without any direction or guides. Nothing to prepare her for the storm and nobody to fall back on. Her friends would climb that mountain besides her…but she couldn't honestly say she could depend on them. Satomi, Ayaka and the others would catch her if she fell, but that didn't mean they wouldn't hesitate to take the main spot.

The first person she could unconditionally trust with everything she had was…

A smile crept on her face

* * *

_("Sorry to say. But I'm still an ordinary guy. I don't know anything about show business, but if you need someone to fall back on, and believe in unconditionally…even I can do that.")_

_("I'm going to stick right by your side make sure you don't pull any crazy stunts like this again and there's nothing you or anyone can do to stop me.")_

* * *

… What kind of parent stands in the way of their son's dream?

She shouldn't project her circumstances…because Yuki had Makoto and her. And they had connections.

Satomi _did_ say she was looking for talent…

She exhaled. "Okay, I can talk to one of my friends. If you're **really** serious about this. I can help you start a career."

He's rarely so expressive as to beam brightly at her. "Thanks, mom."

"On one condition." She continues. "If I even catch a whiff of things going south or you getting into trouble, I'm pulling you out." That wasn't a joke. Pressure can make good people do horrible things, things they'll regret. "I want you to promise that you'll talk to me if things get to big for you to handle."

"I promise."

She smiled. "Now then, I think we've kept your aunt waiting."

"If Komaru's mad, I'll just treat her to ice cream."

"Don't be precocious. She's older than you…" She admonishes. But Komaru was partly to blame…

"Hey, Yuki." Sayaka's thoughts drift to an early question she had in mind.

"Hm?"

"How did you know _I _was the one who quit my idol group?"

He looked up at her. "That's easy. I'm an esper."

Sayaka's feet rooted in place as she went as rigid as the oak tree in the backyard. _"What?"_

_"Just kidding, it'd make for a funny story though."_

_"..."_

* * *

_"_I can't thank you two enough for this." Sayaka said as her friend hung a sizable art piece on the living room wall, complimenting many others of similar expenses in their home.

"I needed the exercise." Satomi creaks her neck. "Nowadays, I just have employees to run into the ground doing all the menial tasks for me. How times have changed…and speaking of change," With shock and awe, Satomi's attention diverts to Komaru. The girl lowers a table-sized drawer in the living room corner, next to the piano she'd also carried over.

"I'm speechless. Was Komaru-chan always that built?"

Komaru maneuvers through several, open cardboard boxes towards them. "The guy I'm seeing is a sports nut and he loves dragging me along for his workouts. I got used to it."

"Tough girl…unlike someone." Satomi rolls her eyes over to Yuki, the boy slumbering on the couch. "No stamina at all. I'll have to fix that."

"Yeah, he's lacking in the muscle department." Komaru grins widely.

"Lay off, he's just a boy." Sayaka said.

Satomi snorts. "We could have handled more at his age."

Be that as it may "It's not like I've done too much either."

"It's for the best. You gotta take it easy for the baby~"

Blue brows lift upwards as Sayaka glowers at Komaru.

"I didn't say anything." The younger Naegi sibling replied.

"How'd you know?" The pregnant mother inquires.

"You mean besides Komaru and Yuki-kun sneaking concerned glances the whole time? Not too much. It was either that or you were sick. I picked the more fun guess."

One culprit was already asleep, so once again, Sayaka's stare landed on the second.

"Sorry, I am a little worried. Yuki told me what happened and that's why I rushed down here." Komaru said, with a guilty expression.

Sayaka sighed. "No, it's my fault. I should take better care of myself. Thanks for keeping an eye on me."

"Maybe you _have_ changed a bit if you can admit that." Satomi smiled, then looked at her watch "It's late. Need a ride home, Komaru?"

"That'd definitely beat taking a cab." Komaru replied.

"Hold on a bit." Sayaka disappeared into the kitchen. She returns with two boxes of pastries. "Take these with you. They're cakes."

"I love your cakes!" Komaru mewled. "And I've been getting a little sick of donuts..."

"Mom's the one you should thank." Sayaka owed her culinary talents to Mrs. Naegi. "If you asked, I'm sure she'd love to teach you too."

"I wouldn't want to impose."

Satomi watched the interaction with furrowed brows. "Why does Komaru-chan sound like the outsider here? This is _her_ mother we're talking about, right?"

"Let's just say…mom started treating Sayaka like a daughter long before she and Makoto got hitched." Komaru's ahoge drooped.

"I'm sorry for asking…"

Following a brief ganging/bullying on Komaru, Sayaka saw the two off to Satomi's car.

"Stay safe, Komaru." Sayaka said. "That means not doing anything a good human being wouldn't." She shot a playful glare on her old bandmate.

"I thought about it, but after seeing Komaru-chan at work, I think I'd be the one getting blown away." Satomi laughed.

"Tell Yuki I had a blast." Komaru pumped her arms.

"I'll drop by some time later. For both of you." Satomi waved

Sayaka waved back as they drove off. She sauntered back into the house, locking the door behind her.

"Makoto's late." She notes, making her way to the living room. Seeing Satomi had been unexpected, but welcome. A breath of fresh air that left her with a rush of energy.

Just like old times.

Deep down…Sayaka missed the limelight. There's no way she couldn't…but she was faced with a choice, and sacrifices had to be made one way or another.

She sits on the couch, taking care not to bump into Yuki's legs and wake him. A glance at the boy's face – pacified, relaxed and happy - gives her all the reassurance she needs.

There isn't a single regret here.

* * *

_The festival lanterns illuminate the warm night in an assortment of captivating colors. _

_In front of an olden shrine, a young girl in a white kimono sways to an imaginary rhythm._

_Earlier, the grounds teemed with men, women, boys and girls of all ages. Nobody talked, they sang and cheered. Nobody walked, they skipped and danced. It was a celebration of life - of the hardships and joys they experienced over the course of the year._

_Now, the festival was over. There was nobody. The rustling of tree-leaves in the wind, and the cicadas' buzzing are the only applause Sayaka receives. The short bluenette mimicked the motions of the priestess she'd observed intensely._

_"You're here again, Sayaka-chan."_

_The dance stops. There had been one audience member she'd missed under the influence of her trance-like determination - A woman in her twenties, wearing the shrine maiden's ceremonial dress._

_Sayaka can't make out the woman's face in the haze, but she knows this person._

_"Happy New Years." The little girl says. "You were amazing this year too!"_

_"Thank you, and so are you." The older woman softly ruffles her hair. "Your movements have gotten better."_

_"I've been practicing."_

_"...Wait here a moment." The priestess enters the shrine. Barely a minute later, she returns, with a smaller-sized replica of her own dress and a wooden wand decorated with streamers; one of the ritual tools. _

_Sayaka's mouth forms an 'o' and her eyes grow wide. Soon, she's changed into the a white and red dress, waving the nusa in the air._

_The priestess observed the enthusiastic girl dance on the stage she had, hours before. Despite Sayaka's glee and excitation at the gifts, her movements remained graceful, befitting the role she imitated. Her performance not mired, but enhanced by her young age. The charmed woman claps before she knows it. _

_The gem before her eyes could only be described as the result of polished talent._

_"Sayaka-chan. How would you feel about becoming a shrine maiden one day?"_

_"I can't." The blue haired girl simply refuses._

_The priestess' eyes widen. Sayaka's surety bewilders her more than the rejection itself. "Why not?" _

_With spread arms and a wide smile, Sayaka declares _

_"Because I'm going to be an idol!"_

* * *

Light taps on the shoulder stir Sayaka from the dream. One not involving blood, thankfully. Once awake, It's the warmth of the covers placed on her that she notices first. The second was the lethargy, suggesting she'd slept for some time.

Last, and certainly not least, is Makoto.

"Welcome home." She tries for a smile, but in her groggy state, it's probably goofy looking.

"I've been back for a few hours already." He replies, sitting beside her.

"I slept for that long?" She's dizzy enough to go back to sleep still but settles for resting against her husband's frame.

Considerate and receptive that Makoto is, he leans in to make her more comfortable. "It's fine. Thanks for making dinner by the way. I was starving."

"Komaru and Satomi came over, so I made a lot."

"Komaru? Wait, Satomi? _That_ Satomi-san?" There's a mixture of shock, happiness and fear in his tone. "Is this first time…"

"Yeah, I haven't had any contact in 10 years. We caught up…and it sounds like…no, she _has_ forgiven me."

Makoto wraps an arm around her shoulder as congratulations. "That's great. It must've been nice catching up…although, she may have changed her tune if she saw me." His laughter is strong, deeper than in their high school years. "Did they help setting the place up?"

"I was going to handle it myself, but Yuki called Komaru over without telling me…"

"Heh. I'll give him an increased allowance."

Sayaka playfully smacks his arm, visualizing the grin on his face without seeing it.

"That reminds me, I got this for you." He stretches a bit to reach for a bag near the sofa. Out from it comes an old garb, wrapped in plastic wrap.

"That's…my idol outfit." Sayaka's eyes widen. "Where did you find this old thing?"

"I didn't…you did." His features contorted with worry. "Don't you remember? Before the accident."

She struggles to remember what happened two days ago. Slowly, it comes back, with the attire serving as the trigger.

She'd found the dress when unpacking in evening. Unluckily one of the boxes fell while she was off in her own thoughts.

"I took it for dry-cleaning." Makoto explains.

As thanks, she plants a kiss on his lips. He doesn't melt at her touch like he used to, long ago, but she knows his love for her hasn't wavered an inch. "Thanks. It means a lot to me." It needn't be said how much. Sayaka's lips tug upwards at the renewed fabric. "You know…Yuki told me he wants to become a musician. Can you believe that?"

"Huh, he finally told you?"

"…What?" She lifts her head to face him.

There's a smug sense of superiority she detects. "Yeah, he talked to me about it a while back. I was all for it, but I figured he had to go through you first. Music was your thing."

"You've got that wrong!" She redacts. "No, that's right, but that's _wrong_. Why would he talk to you about starting a music career before me?"

"You sound jealous…"

"I am!" She didn't even know until today and she had to interrogate him first. "It makes me wonder what else you two have discussed behind my back." She glares suspiciously.

"Don't be like that. I'm always honest and upfront…unless I shouldn't be, but those times are rare."

"Like right now?"

"He keeps to himself. You know that."

She does. Yuki loves his privacy, which was another reason why being a celebrity might not be the best career for him. Then again, Yuki was their kid, and both were nothing, if not adaptable. "I talked to Satomi and she said Yuki has a chance to make it. He's got a good voice…and you know, with my name and all, he's got marketing potential."

"And that unsettles you, because you don't want him to go through the same things you did." He smiles gingerly. "I think he should go for it. We'll bail him out if things go sour. That's what family's about."

…Family…

"Something wrong?"

"No." She hesitates.

"Sayaka." She's all-attentive at the mention of her name. "We've known each other since we were kids. You can tell me anything." That's true.

Makoto was her first love, and she'd never known another, so many years later. Relationships that date back that long and persist sound fantastical. She remembers their first meeting, their first of many fights, their first misunderstanding, their first kiss and their first-

Her cheeks heated up. 'Damn it, Satomi' She and Komaru just had to bring _that_ post-concert night up. But thanks to that, the tension eases enough for her to confess. "Yeah, there is…something. I'm not sure what it is really, but I've been having…nightmares."

" About?" He knits his eyebrows.

"I…I try to kill one of our friends and pin their murder on you." He's quiet, waiting for her to finish. She's thankful for that. She's also thankful he doesn't ask her to look at him. "But everything goes wrong a-and, I…I get stabbed with a knife instead, left to die in the washroom. All alone."

The loneliness was the worst part.

"It's ridiculous…to be scared of nightmares at my age...but it all felt so real." She hugs herself to stop shaking. Flashes of her bleeding out in that bathroom spring to the surface. "I start to wonder. Was that really a nightmare…or is this a dream?" Everything she experienced, all the connections… "Any second now, I'm scared I'll wake up."

"We're not going anywhere." Makoto declares.

Sayaka meets his honest gaze. She's a terrified wreck, but she sees only stability in him. He's stronger and more dependable than her. She'd be envious, _jealous_, if not for the fact that he used that attribute for her sake – He was her anchor.

"I promised to keep you safe." His pupils glaze over. "This time, I'm keeping it." He interlocks their fingers. She looks up to him with wet eyes.

"I'm not sure how to say this without sounding a bit possessive but…I'm saying this for my sake as much as yours." He gives her a charming, but exasperated smile. "I put up with a lot. To get you to stick around me. I'm patient, don't you think?"

"You're practically a saint." She said.

Her husband shakes his head. "A saint wouldn't expect anything in turn. After all I went through, you really think I'll you get away?" His expression was neutral, but the intensity in his gaze left her transfixed.

"H-Huh?" She asks, dumbly. Caught off guard when Makoto inches closer, his lips brushing against hers.

"If that nightmare is real, then sorry to say, I'm not letting you wake up from this dream." Proving his point, he tightly embraces her, initiating the intimate kiss.

Sayaka's back lands on the couch with Makoto hovering over her.

"I really was The Ultimate Lucky Student." He says, breathless.

She offers a snarky grin. "Ultimate Cheese, more like."

Before they go further, a peculiar sound interrupts them. The kitchen lights are on, and they hear the opening of a fridge.

"You don't think…" Sayaka starts.

"Let's see." Makoto sweat dropped. The two lovers leave the seat and make the short travel to the kitchen. They peek inside to see Yuki chugging milk from a glass bottle. An even more amusing sight than his disastrous hair, were his droopy eyes.

He's practically half-asleep. The boy puts the bottle back in the fridge…and leaves the door half-open. Then he walks towards them, a bridge of milk present on his lips. His parents watch him with amusement. Yuki walks headfirst into Makoto's leg…and keeps walking until he realizes he's getting nowhere.

Sayaka stifles her laughs while he rubs his eyes.

The lone brunet chuckles and picks up his son with practiced ease. Yuki falls sleep within moments.

Sayaka takes in the scenery with mirth. "I was thinking of going to see my dad this weekend. Want to come with?" She walks over to close the fridge.

Makoto blinks and replies in a quiet voice. "Thanks for telling me ahead of time. I'll need all of it to prepare my heart."

"Just try to avoid arguing with him this time."

"He does it on purpose and I always fall for it." Makoto hisses.

Something's never change. Sayaka leaves Makoto to put Yuki back to bed. Her mood uplifted by magnitudes. Makoto would always be there for her. Even in her nightmares, he'd been a ray of hope.

The pop sensation smacks her cheeks. "I'm here. I'm right here." Where I belong.

She closes her eyes, intakes a deep breath and exhales. She finds a nearby mirror, pulls her shirt up, revealing her stomach.

Not a scar to be found.

Sayaka smiles.

Self-affirmed, she saunters back into the living room, ready to clean before getting ready for bed. There's a book on the table that she doesn't recall leaving there.

"_Discover Your Psychic Potential?_" By… "Toko and Hiro!?"

"…What's that you've got?" Makoto punctuates his return by wrapping his arms around her waist from behind.

"Toko and Hiro wrote this…together?" That was the most shocking development of the day.

He peered over her shoulder. "Yeah, that was my reaction too. From the looks of it, Toko wrote it, but the material is definitely all Hiro."

Obviously. Toko wouldn't be caught dead thinking up fantastical junk like this. How much did Hiro pay her to even write it? Better question. "Why'd _you_ get this?"

"I brought it for Yuki. He said he was interested if the academy had any books on this sort of stuff." He said,

…

"You remember that old joke of mine that I used in school?"

"About being psychic? Sure. It was like a catchphrase."

It's so embarrassing to think about now. "Why'd you tell it to Yuki?"

"I…didn't."

She leans back with arched eyebrows.

"I'm telling the truth. I've never brought it up. And he'd sooner hear it from you."

She's got no response for that.

"If he didn't hear it from you…it must've been from Komaru." Makoto deduces.

"Right. Komaru-chan!" She said, relieved. Of course, she played with Yuki often and Sayaka had pulled many pranks on her sister-in-law in the past.

That was the most logical explanation.

"You sound so relieved. What…did you think he was _actually_ an esper?" He teased.

"No, that'd be ridiculous."

"I wonder..."


End file.
